Intentional Interim Ministry Preparing Churches for Their Next Great Pastorates The Rev. William W. Nickels, III Presbytery of New Hope Committee on Ministry Preparing Churches for Their Next Great Pastorates The Rev. William W. Nickels, III Presbytery of New Hope Committee on Ministry

A Specialized Ministry BO G b  Intentional Interim Ministry is a specialized form of pastoral ministry used by churches without Installed Pastors while they are seeking new Installed Pastors.  The relationship between an Interim and a church is a temporary pastoral relationship established by agreement between a Session, a Committee on Ministry and a candidate.  Intentional Interim Ministry is a specialized form of pastoral ministry used by churches without Installed Pastors while they are seeking new Installed Pastors.  The relationship between an Interim and a church is a temporary pastoral relationship established by agreement between a Session, a Committee on Ministry and a candidate.

A Specialized Ministry BO G b  The relationship must be established for a specific period, one not to exceed twelve months at a time. While additional 6-month terms are commonly approved, many Presbyteries limit an Interim Pastor’s service to a church to a maximum length of 24 months.  An Interim Pastor may not be called to be the next Installed Pastor of the church he or she serves.  The relationship must be established for a specific period, one not to exceed twelve months at a time. While additional 6-month terms are commonly approved, many Presbyteries limit an Interim Pastor’s service to a church to a maximum length of 24 months.  An Interim Pastor may not be called to be the next Installed Pastor of the church he or she serves.

Things Commonly Heard When Installed Pastors Leave “Without an Installed Pastor leading us, things will fall apart around here! People will skip church and stop giving.” Actually, during the tenure of many Interim Pastors, attendance and giving go up. “Without an Installed Pastor leading us, things will fall apart around here! People will skip church and stop giving.” Actually, during the tenure of many Interim Pastors, attendance and giving go up.

“Why can’t we start searching for our new Pastor immediately - get someone in here ASAP?” Remember – doing things decently and in order is important to Presbyterians, and it’s also wise! Plus, it has been shown that when churches use Intentional Interim Pastors, relations with their next Installed Pastors are likely to be healthier and to last longer. “Why can’t we start searching for our new Pastor immediately - get someone in here ASAP?” Remember – doing things decently and in order is important to Presbyterians, and it’s also wise! Plus, it has been shown that when churches use Intentional Interim Pastors, relations with their next Installed Pastors are likely to be healthier and to last longer.

“We don’t need to take time to figure out what we need in our next pastor – we already know – someone just like the one who left! (Or, someone exactly unlike the one who left.)” Actually, time with an Interim Pastor usually brings congregations some helpful perspective and balance, and it gives them an opportunity to discern God’s guidance about their callings and about the kind of leaders they will need to help them respond to them faithfully. “We don’t need to take time to figure out what we need in our next pastor – we already know – someone just like the one who left! (Or, someone exactly unlike the one who left.)” Actually, time with an Interim Pastor usually brings congregations some helpful perspective and balance, and it gives them an opportunity to discern God’s guidance about their callings and about the kind of leaders they will need to help them respond to them faithfully.

When Installed Pastors Leave, Churches Need  Opportunity to remember their history, to recall who they are and Whose they are;  Time and ways to come to terms with their loss - Especially if there has been a long pastorate, or Especially if there were difficulties in the pastorate just ended, and Even if everything was wonderful!  A chance to look forward freshly and to discern a new calling.  Opportunity to remember their history, to recall who they are and Whose they are;  Time and ways to come to terms with their loss - Especially if there has been a long pastorate, or Especially if there were difficulties in the pastorate just ended, and Even if everything was wonderful!  A chance to look forward freshly and to discern a new calling.

What Intentional Interim Ministry Offers a Church  Stability for a congregation in a time of serious transition;  Perceptive, ongoing leadership by someone with perspective;  Consistent, relevant preaching;  Stability for a congregation in a time of serious transition;  Perceptive, ongoing leadership by someone with perspective;  Consistent, relevant preaching;

What Intentional Interim Ministry Offers a Church  Experienced pastoral caregiving;  An opportunity for reflection, for taking deep breaths and for discernment;  A period of ministry without the commitment entailed when a Pastor is installed.  Experienced pastoral caregiving;  An opportunity for reflection, for taking deep breaths and for discernment;  A period of ministry without the commitment entailed when a Pastor is installed.

Intentional Interim Pastors  Understand what congregations go through and need when pastors leave;  Can help lessen the anxiety churches feel when pastors depart;  Are clear about the special nature of the ministry they offer congregations;  Accept that they cannot be the Installed Pastors of the churches they’re assisting;  Seek to prepare churches to have healthy and productive relationships with their next Installed Pastors.  Understand what congregations go through and need when pastors leave;  Can help lessen the anxiety churches feel when pastors depart;  Are clear about the special nature of the ministry they offer congregations;  Accept that they cannot be the Installed Pastors of the churches they’re assisting;  Seek to prepare churches to have healthy and productive relationships with their next Installed Pastors.

Situations in which an Interim may be a good choice for a Session to make  When the church needs a dismount - a thought- through shift from one stage of its life and ministry to another;  After a lengthy pastoral tenure or a troubled relationship;  When there have been quick turnovers, a series of unintentional interims;  In situations where redevelopment is a need and possibility.  When the church needs a dismount - a thought- through shift from one stage of its life and ministry to another;  After a lengthy pastoral tenure or a troubled relationship;  When there have been quick turnovers, a series of unintentional interims;  In situations where redevelopment is a need and possibility.

Situations in which an Interim may not be the best choice for a Session to make  When the church has no interest in or capacity for engaging in new ministry;  When there’s good reason to believe progress already underway is going to suffer;  If the Five Developmental Tasks of Interim Time Churches have been accomplished in some way already.  When the church has no interest in or capacity for engaging in new ministry;  When there’s good reason to believe progress already underway is going to suffer;  If the Five Developmental Tasks of Interim Time Churches have been accomplished in some way already.

The Five Developmental Tasks of Interim Time Churches  Coming to terms with their history;  Discovering a fresh identity and mission;  Strengthening links with the denomination;  Facilitating shifts in leadership and in the exercise of power;  Committing to new leadership and to new ministry.  Coming to terms with their history;  Discovering a fresh identity and mission;  Strengthening links with the denomination;  Facilitating shifts in leadership and in the exercise of power;  Committing to new leadership and to new ministry.

In Coming to Terms with Their History, Churches  Remember their congregational stories;  Celebrate past ministries and faithfulness;  Acknowledge past troubles, failures and losses;  Discuss what they have learned from their past experiences;  Remember that they’ve made it through changes before;  Discover help for moving on toward what God has in store for them.  Remember their congregational stories;  Celebrate past ministries and faithfulness;  Acknowledge past troubles, failures and losses;  Discuss what they have learned from their past experiences;  Remember that they’ve made it through changes before;  Discover help for moving on toward what God has in store for them.

In Discovering Fresh Identities, Churches  Engage in a deliberate process of reflection on their community and its needs;  Listen carefully for the congregation’s wisdom;  Assess the adequacy of current ministry programming;  Undertake a Congregational Mission Study (often required by the Presbytery);  Discern, define and commit to the mission God calls them to undertake.  Engage in a deliberate process of reflection on their community and its needs;  Listen carefully for the congregation’s wisdom;  Assess the adequacy of current ministry programming;  Undertake a Congregational Mission Study (often required by the Presbytery);  Discern, define and commit to the mission God calls them to undertake.

In Strengthening Denominational Links, Churches  Experience the value of connection with the Presbytery;  Receive support and guidance from Committee on Ministry Liaisons;  Gain assistance with their pastoral search from the Presbytery and the General Assembly.  Experience the value of connection with the Presbytery;  Receive support and guidance from Committee on Ministry Liaisons;  Gain assistance with their pastoral search from the Presbytery and the General Assembly.

In Facilitating Shifts in Leadership and in the Exercise of Power, Churches  Explore and determine what kinds of leaders they need in a new era of ministry;  Consider how leadership is exercised and whether changes would improve things;  Provide opportunities for longtime leaders to rest and for newer leaders to assume responsibilities;  Acknowledge that some people work better with certain Pastors than with others.  Explore and determine what kinds of leaders they need in a new era of ministry;  Consider how leadership is exercised and whether changes would improve things;  Provide opportunities for longtime leaders to rest and for newer leaders to assume responsibilities;  Acknowledge that some people work better with certain Pastors than with others.

In Committing to New Leadership and a New Future, Churches  Gain a fresh, unified, energizing forward focus;  Provide visitors and prospects a clear understanding of what they are about;  Become clear about the kind of pastoral leadership they will need to answer their God- given calling.  Gain a fresh, unified, energizing forward focus;  Provide visitors and prospects a clear understanding of what they are about;  Become clear about the kind of pastoral leadership they will need to answer their God- given calling.

Other Benefits of Using Intentional Interim Pastors Include: Sometimes there are circumstances in a congregation’s life that call for special grieving; sometimes a conflict has erupted that requires careful healing. Intentional Interim Pastors are trained to assist congregations with their grief- work, to help them manage their conflict and to nurture healthy ways of operating within a congregational system. Sometimes there are circumstances in a congregation’s life that call for special grieving; sometimes a conflict has erupted that requires careful healing. Intentional Interim Pastors are trained to assist congregations with their grief- work, to help them manage their conflict and to nurture healthy ways of operating within a congregational system.

Beyond This, Intentional Interim Pastors  Offer new insights and practices that may enrich a congregation’s ministry;  Give churches time to dream, to experiment, to innovate and to reorganize.  Offer new insights and practices that may enrich a congregation’s ministry;  Give churches time to dream, to experiment, to innovate and to reorganize.

Finally, Since at Some Point Every Church Will Lose Its Pastor… We invite you to consider giving your congregation the benefit of an experience with an Intentional Interim Pastor. We trust you will hear comments like these made by Presbyterians who have enjoyed a time of ministry with an Interim Pastor:

“Our Interim Pastor provided the kind of leadership this congregation needed at the very time we needed it.”

“Because of the Congregational Mission Study our Interim Pastor took us through, we have really come together as a church. We know what God wants us to be doing in the world, and we are eager to be of use to God in the next stage of our ministry.” “Because of the Congregational Mission Study our Interim Pastor took us through, we have really come together as a church. We know what God wants us to be doing in the world, and we are eager to be of use to God in the next stage of our ministry.”

“Our Interim Pastor gave us gifts when she came to us and when she left us, too. She brought us compassion and healing and even laughter, eventually; and she left us truly ready to start over with a new Pastor.”

Intentional Interim Pastors have a sacred trust and a special calling - they make it their aim to prepare churches for Their Next Great Pastorates! Intentional Interim Pastors have a sacred trust and a special calling - they make it their aim to prepare churches for Their Next Great Pastorates!